Gavrikov signs 7-year, $49 million contract with Rangers

Vladislav Gavrikov signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the New York Rangers on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $7 million.

The 29-year-old defenseman was an unrestricted free agent. He had 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) in 82 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Kings last season and two assists in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Gavrikov also led the Kings with 140 blocked shots. He was second behind defenseman Drew Doughty in average ice time per game at 23:05. Doughty averaged 24:08 but was limited to 30 games.

The Rangers are expected to try to have Gavrikov play with Adam Fox on their top defense pair. Gavrikov is a left-handed shooter; Fox is a righty.

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the sixth round (No. 159) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Gavrikov has 135 points (29 goals, 106 assists) in 435 regular-season games for the Blue Jackets and Kings, and eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 29 playoff games.

Will Cuylle also signed a two-year, $7.8 million contract with the Rangers on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $3.9 million.

The 23-year-old forward, who was a restricted free agent, had 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 82 games this season.

Selected by the Rangers in the second round (No. 60) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Cuylle had 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) in 81 regular-season games as a rookie in 2023-24. He also had two points (one goal, one assist) in 16 playoff games that season.

In addition to the signings, New York traded defenseman K'Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft and defenseman Scott Morrow. Miller then signed an eight-year, $60 million contract ($7.5 million AAV).

Forward Taylor Raddysh signed a two-year contract with the Rangers on Wednesday. He had seven goals and an NHL career-high 20 assists in 80 games for the Washington Capitals and one assist in seven playoff games last season.